Outlet-box construction.



J. H. WYATT & H. 0. GAMPION, JR. OUTLET BOX CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.23,1911.

Patented (Mat, 15, 1912.

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JAMES H. WYATT AND HARRY CLIFFORD CAMPION, J 11., 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENN-SYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE CUTTER 'ELEGTRICAL AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY,OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

OUTLET-BOX CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

' Application filed August 28, 1911. Serial No. 645,572.

State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements inOutlet- Box Construction, of which. the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the construction of outlet boxes or switchboxes such as used in the electric wiring of buildings, etc., suchoutlet boxes or switch boxes being adapted to form an inclosure within awall, partition, or the like, for an electric switch or other electricalapparatus.

Our invention resides in a construction of the nature above referred.to, in which the three-sided or U element of an individual box hassecured thereto the end plates by a locking connection on one end ofsuch end plate, and a screw or rivet connection on the other endthereof.

Our invention resides also in a construction in which a gang or bank ofboxes may easily be constructed and comprising any suitable number ofindividual boxes by employing between neighboring U-sections a partitionplate which, at each end, is locked to one U and screwed or riveted tothe neigh-' boring U. Our construction of a gang or bank is such thatthe neighboring Us are not connected to each other directly, but areattached or secured to the partition plates.

Our invention resides in the features hereinafter described and claimed.

For an illustration of some of the forms vation of the same. Fig. 3 is atop plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a U-section.Fig. 5 is a top plan view of an end plate used for either an individualbox or a'bank or gang of boxes. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a partitionplate used in the formation of a gang or bank .of boxes. Fig. 7 'is anend elevation of a partition plate, such as shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is atop plan view of a partition'plate with modified form of attachingmeans. Fig. 9'is an end elevational view of the partition plate shown 1nFig. 8.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, a U-section comprises the member having thebottom 1 and sides 2 and 3, which may be made of sheet metal integralwith each other or of any other suitable material connected in anysuitable manner. same for both individual boxes or for a gang or'bank ofboxes. On the top edge of the sides 2 and 3 are provided ears t havingperforations 5 for the passage of screws or other means for securing tothese cars 4 the switch mechanism or other electrical device which is tobe inclosed in the box. Holes 6 are provided to receive screws 7,

sce Fig. 1, by which the members 8 are attached to the box, thesemembers Shaving the parts 9 slotted at 10 and held by the screws 7 tothe outer sides of the U-section. The slots 10. are provided so as toallow relative adjustment between the parts. 8 and the boxes, the parts8 being provided with holes 1.1 by which the boxes are secured to theirsupport in a wall or other suitable relation. When an individual box isto be formed from a U-section, two end plates: are secured thereon.These end plates are shown at 12, in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. This endplate is provided on one of its side edges with an ear 13 perforated toreceive a screw 14 which threads into a hole 15 in the U-section, theear 13 extending at right angles to the plane of the endplate 12 andextending around the edge of the U-section, as shown in Fig. 1. At itsother side edge the end plate 12 is provided with the hook member 16having the portion 17 extending at right angles to the plane of theplate 12 and the. end portion 18 com-' pleting the hook and extendingbackwardly parallel to the plane of the plate 12. 3 This hook 16 isinserted through the slot 19 in the opposite side of the U-section fromthat provided with the hole 15 for receiving the screw 14. In attachingthe endplate to the U-section the hook 16 is first inserted through slot19 in the U-section, and the lug 20, struck up from the end plate 12 ata considerable distance above or below the hook 16, is brought againstthe inner side of the side member 2 of the U-section as shown in Fig. 4.The lug 20, as seen more clearly These U-sections are thein Fig. 7, isat a distance from the hook 16 but near the same edge of the plate 21 orplate 12. In entering the hook 16 into the slot 19 the plates 12 and 21do not have their edges registering as in their final positions, but theplates 12 and 21 when first brought together with the part 18 in theslot 19 are in such position that the lug 20 is at some distance fromthe wall 2; then the plate 12 or 21 is rotated until the lug 20 comes tothe final position shown. Then, the ear 13 with its perforationregisterswith the screw hole 15 on the other side of the U-section, whereupon thescrew 14 is put in place and the ear 13 drawn up against the side of theU. With the parts in this position, with the use of only the onescrew,the hook 16 and the lug 20 lock the other edge of the end plate firmlyin position. Another end plate is then attached in like manner to theother end of the U-section, thus forming a complete individual box.Inasmuch as the U- sect-ions are also to be used for the production ofgangs or banks of boxes, there is on each side of the U one screw hole15 and one slot 19, all theslots 19 being at the samestandard U-sectionsof suitable number are employed and a partition plat-e used betweenneighboring U-sectiens and. an end plate applied on each end of the gangor bank.

The partition plate is shown at 21in Figs. 1, 3, 6 and 7 A singlepartition plate 21 is employed between neighboring U-sections and theU-seetions are not connected to each other but are connected to thepartition plate by means similar to that by which the end plate is securd to a U-section. The partition plate 21 has at each edge a hook 16 andan ear 13. But the hooks 16 are disposed on opposite sides of the plate21 and the ears 13 at the two edges are similarly disposed upon oppositesides of the plate 21, as seen from Fig.6. Similarly, the plate 21 isprovided with a lug 20, near each hook, and they. are, therefore, alsoon opposite sides of the plate 21. The partition plate is attached toone U-section by first hooking the hook 16 into a slot 19 in theU-section and then securing the ear 13 on the opposite edge of thepartition plate to the same U-section by a screw 14. The secondU-section isthen attached to the same partition plate 2lby first hookingthe other book 16 at the other end of the plate into a slot 19 in thesecond U-section, and then securing the secondear 13 to the second Usection by a screw 14. Here, again, the lugs 20 keep the hook end of thepartition plate locked to the U-sect-ion, the partition plate being heldfirmly in place withrespect to either U by the use of one screw onlywhen a hook and lug as 16 and 20 are employed. The partition plates mayhave, preferably near their bottoms, the perforations 22, so that theservice wires may enter in one box and be extended through theperforations 22 in the partition plates to connect to the switches orother devices in the other boxes of the gang or bank. The U- sectionsalso have perforations 23, either in their bottoms or sides, or both, orthese may be simply knock-out holes such as are commonly provided injunction boxes, out-let boxes, or the like.

In Figs. 8 and 9 a modified form of partition or end plate isillustrated. Here, the lug 20 is omitted, but the hook 16 has not onlythe portions 17 and 18, of Figs. 5 and 6, but has also the upwardlyturned portion 24 which takes the place of the lug 20 of Figs. 5 and 6.In this case, the end- 24 is inserted through a slot 19 in the-U-section and the partition plate 21, of Figs. 8 and 9, having suchmodified hook, is rotated with respect to the U-section until the part24 extends upwardly inside of the U-section above the end of the slot19, the part 18 being in theslot 19 and the part 17 lying along the sideof the U-section. When this construction is used for an end plate, thearrangement is the same as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, except that onlyonehook and one ear on opposite edges of the plate are employed.

What we claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with aU-section, of a plate, an ear on one edge of said plate secured to aside of said U-section; a hook on an opposite edge of said plate, a sideof said U-section having a slot adapted 'to receive said hook, and a lugon said plate at a distance from the edge thereof approximately equal tothe thickness of the side of said U-seetion.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with aU-section, of a plate, an ear on one edge of said plate secured to aside of said U-section, a hook on an opposite edge of said plate, a sideof said U-section having a slot adapted to receive said hook, and aprojection on said plate remote from said hook but adjacent the sameedge upon which saidhook is disposed.

3. In a gang box of the character described, a U-section, a partitionplate, said U-section having a slot, a hook on one edge of saidpartition plate adapted to engage in said slot, an ear on the oppositeedge of said plate secured to another side of said Usertion, a secondU-section, a slot in said second U-section, a second hook on said partition plate adapted to engage in said slot, and a second ear on saidpartition plate secured to another side of said second U-section.

4. In a gang box of the character described, a U-section, apartitionpla'te, said' U-section having a slot, a hook on one edge ofsaid partition plate adapted to engage in said slot, an ear on theopposite edge of said.

each of said hooks on said partition plate.

5. In a gang box of the character described, a U-section', a partitionplate, said U-section having a slot, a hook on one edge of saidpartition plate adapted to engage 11 said slot, an ear on the oppositeedge of sad plate secured to' another side of said U-section, a secondU-section, a slot in said second U-section, a second hook on saidpartition plate adapted to engage in said slot, said. hooks on saidpartition plate being on opposite sides thereof and on oppositeedges,and said ears on opposite sides of said partition plate and on oppositeedges.

6. In a gang box of the character described, a U-section, a partitionplate, said U-section having a slot, a hook on one edge of saidpartition plate adapted to engage 1n said slot, an ear on the oppositeedge of said plate secured to another side of said U-sectlon, a secondU-section, a slot in said second U-section, a second hook on saidpartition plate adapted to engage. in said slot, said books on saidpartition plate being on opposite sides thereof and on opposite edges,and sa1d ears on opposite sides of said partition plate and on oppositeedges, the hook and ear on each edge of said plate being on oppositesides'of said plate.

In a' gang box of the character descrlbed, a U-section, a partitionplate, said U-section having aslot, a hook on one edge of said partitionplate adapted to engage insaid slot, an ear on the opposite edge of saidplate secured to another side of said U-section, a second U-section, aslot in-said second U-section, a second hook on said partition plateadapted to engage in said slot, said hooks on said partition plate beingon opposite sides thereof and on opposite edges, said ears on oppositesides of said partition plate and on opposite edges, and a lug for eachhook on said artition plate, said lugs being on opposite sides f sa1dpartition plate.

8. In a device of the character described, a plate, a hook on one edgeof said plate, said hookcomprising a portion extending at right anglesto said plate and'an end portion of said hook extending parallel withsaid plate, a projection on said plate, and

a second plate confined against said projection and having an aperturereceiving said hook, said projection offset from the hook carrying edgeof said first named plate a distance substantially equal to thethickness of said second plate.

9. In a device of the character described, a plate, a hook on one edgeof said plate, said hook comprising a portion extending at right anglesto said plate and an end portion extending parallel with said plate, aprojection on said platenear said edge of said plate, and a second platehaving an aperture receiving said hook and confined between said hookand said projection, said projection offset from the hook carrying edgeof said first named plate a distance substantially equal to thethickness of said second plate.

10. In a device of the character described, a Usection, a side of saidU-section having a slot, a plate, a hook on one edge of said platehaving a portion extendingat right angles to said plate, and a portionextending parallel with saidplate, said hook adapted to engage in saidslot, and a projection on said plate betwee which and said hook saidU-sectionis confined, said projection ofiset from the hook carrying edgeof said plate a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said Usection.

11. In a device of the character described, a 'U section having sidesand bottom, a side of said U section having a slot, a plate against theedge of said U section,'a hook on one edge of said plate engaging insaid slot, and a projection on said plate oifset' from the hook carryingedge of said plate a'distance substantially equalto the thickness of theside of said U section and disposed at a distance from said hook.

12. In a device of the character described, a U section having sides andbottom, a side of said U section having a slot, a plate, a hook on oneedge of said plate engaging in said slot, said slot disposed atsubstantially the middle of the length of said side of said U section,and a projection on said plate near one end of said side of said Usection ofiset'from the hook carrying edge of said plate a distancesubstantially equal to the thickness of said side of said U section.

13. In a device of the character described, a U section having sides andbottom, a side of said U section having a slot, a plate, a hook on oneedge of said plate engaging in said slot, said slot disposed atsubstantially the middle of the length of said side of said U section, aprojection on said plate near one end of said side of said U sectionoffset from the hook carrying edge of said plate .a distancesubstantially equal to the thickness of saidside of said U section, andan car on the opposite edge of said plate secured to the other side ofsaid U-section.

14. In a device :of the character described,

' a U section having sides and bottom, a side of said U section having aslot, a plate, a hook on one edge'of said plate engaging in said slot,said slot disposed at substantially the middle of the length of saidside of'said U section, a projection on said plate near one end of saidside of said U sect-ion ofl'set from the .hook carrying edge of saidplate a distance substantially e ual. to the thickness of said side ofsaid section, and an ear on the opposite edge of said plate secured tothe other side of said U section;

said ear disposed at substantially the middle of the length of saidother side of said U section. y

In testimony whereof we have hereunto afiixed our signatures in thepresence ofthe two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES H. WYATT. HARRY CLIFFORD OAMPION, JR. Witnesses:

ELEANOR T. McOALL, LEO OBRiEN.

